Traveling on a Dime: Day 10, The Ruins of Takeda Castle, Machu Picchu of Japan.

View the Playlist of all the Traveling on a Dime Episodes at:

Japan is home to over 100 castles, 12 of which are, or contain, extant buildings dating back 200 to 400 years. Japan has a fair share of castle ruins as well, but none are more spectacular than the Ruins of Takeda Castle. Called “The Castle in the Sky,” and “Japan’s Machu Picchu,” Takeda Castle covers the summit of a mountain that towers over 1,000 feet above the valley floor below. The castle was completed in 1441, predating many of Japan’s most famous surviving castles by upward of 150 years. Takeda Castle was conquered three times before being abandoned in 1600. The ruins extend across an area a quarter mile in length and 300 feet in width. No nickname or superlative can over-hype this castle. Come early on a fall morning when the valley fills with clouds and mist to experience a castle floating in the sky

Bryan is an expat English teacher, published writer and aspiring producer living in Niigata Japan. When he isn’t writing articles for Japanese publications in English, he likes to spend his modest earnings to find inexpensive ways to travel and experience Japan.

Traveling on a Dime is a periodic show of Bryan’s adventures in one of the most expensive countries in the world. As he says, “It doesn’t have to be expensive, and you can have an amazing experience even when traveling on a dime.”

More Japan traveling videos will be coming so subscribe to Grinning Studios for Japan Adventure updates!

This is an episode of “Traveling on a Dime,” produced by Grinning Studios’ partner, Bryan Baier. The music is “Somethin’s Missin’,” by Graham Smith on his self titled album. You can pick up this great music from our favorite local musician at or on iTunes. We have full permission to use the music in the video.

Thanks for watching. If you like these videos even a little, Please spread the butter on the bread! and by butter I mean the videos, and by bread I mean the social network of your choice. Share it wherever you share things, like it when you do, post your comments and show me your Nerdswagger.